United States Department of Agriculture South Zone Grassland Restoration Project Preliminary Environmental Assessment Kaibab Williams & Tusayan Forest Service National Forest Ranger Districts August 2016 USDA Non-Discrimination Policy Statement DR 4300.003 USDA Equal Opportunity Public Notification Policy (June 2, 2015) In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720- 2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English. To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632- 9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: [email protected]. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. SOUTH ZONE GRASSLAND RESTORATION PROJECT Preliminary Environmental Assessment Williams and Tusayan Ranger Districts Kaibab National Forest Coconino and Yavapai Counties, Arizona Lead Agency: USDA Forest Service Responsible Officials: Danelle D. Harrison, District Ranger Williams Ranger District 742 S. Clover Rd Williams, AZ 86046 Christina Pearson, Acting District Ranger Tusayan Ranger District 176 Lincoln Log Loop Grand Canyon, AZ 86023 For Information, Contact: Roger Joos, Wildlife Biologist Williams Ranger District 742 S. Clover Rd Williams, AZ 86046 (928) 635-5600 For Electronic Documents, Visit: http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=44132 Table of Contents Chapter 1: Project Background and Purpose and Need for Action ...................................................................1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................1 Project Area ............................................................................................................................................................1 Existing and Desired Conditions ............................................................................................................................3 Purpose and Need for Action .................................................................................................................................9 Management Direction ...........................................................................................................................................9 Decision Framework ............................................................................................................................................10 Public Involvement ..............................................................................................................................................10 Issues ....................................................................................................................................................................10 Chapter 2: Proposed Action and Alternatives .....................................................................................................13 Introduction ..........................................................................................................................................................13 Process Used to Develop Alternatives .................................................................................................................13 Alternatives Analyzed in Detail ...........................................................................................................................13 Project Design Criteria and Mitigations ...............................................................................................................31 Monitoring ...........................................................................................................................................................35 Implementation ....................................................................................................................................................38 Alternatives Considered but Eliminated from Detailed Study .............................................................................39 Chapter 3: Environmental Effects .......................................................................................................................41 Introduction ..........................................................................................................................................................41 Silviculture ...........................................................................................................................................................41 Fire and Fuels .......................................................................................................................................................52 Wildlife ................................................................................................................................................................61 Soils, Watershed, and Air.....................................................................................................................................72 Cultural Resources .............................................................................................................................................101 Range .................................................................................................................................................................109 Rare Plants .........................................................................................................................................................116 Weeds .................................................................................................................................................................135 Recreation and Visuals .......................................................................................................................................141 Chapter 4: Agencies and Persons Consulted .....................................................................................................151 Cooperating Agencies ........................................................................................................................................151 Interdisciplinary Team .......................................................................................................................................151 Federal, State, and Local Agencies ....................................................................................................................151 Tribal Consultation.............................................................................................................................................151 Other Persons Consulted ....................................................................................................................................153 Literature Cited ....................................................................................................................................................155 Appendix A: Past, Present, and Reasonably Foreseeable Future Actions ......................................................163 Appendix B: Roads Proposed for Obliteration ..................................................................................................167 If you have special needs for size and color to view details of maps in this document, please contact the Williams Ranger District, Kaibab National Forest, (928) 635-5600. South Zone Grassland Restoration Project Preliminary Environmental Assessment i Chapter 1: Project Background and Purpose and Need for Action Introduction The Williams and Tusayan Ranger Districts (South Zone) of the Kaibab National Forest (KNF) are proposing to implement thinning, prescribed burning, and other activities to restore the structure and function of grassland and pinyon-juniper grassland (also referred to as savanna) ecosystems in an effort to improve these ecosystems’ resilience to disturbance and changing climate regimes. The purpose of this Environmental Assessment (EA) is to analyze the potential effects of activities